The present invention relates to a method for photographing lustrous objects such as metal spectacle frames, for example, and to a method for photographing spectacle frames.
When creating catalogues or pamphlets for spectacle frames, or when simulating the wearing of spectacle frames, images of the spectacle frames must be photographed. For example, in the spectacle frame try-on simulation device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 61-80222 or in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 63-76581, an image of an spectacle frame is photographed with a video camera and simulation occurs by synthesizing this image with an image of a person that has been photographed separately. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 63-172220 describes a method wherein the R, G, and B values of each dot in a static image of an spectacle frame loaded onto a computer by a video camera are scanned and the spectacle frame data and background data are separated. Here, the method for photographing the spectacle frame using a video camera involves positioning the spectacle frames in a dark box and photographing them there under indirect light.
However, it is still difficult to obtain a good image even when an spectacle frame is placed in a dark box and photographed under indirect light. In particular, when there is much surface lustre on the spectacle frame, such as with a metal frame, the camera or background images are reflected on the surface of the spectacle frame and the natural hues cannot be photographed. While the reflection on images of frames that are photographed as digital images can be revised and colors adjusted, this type of revision or color adjustment makes the image look flat and as if it has been painted, quite different to the real image.
The present invention was made against the above background and aims to provide a method for photographing lustrous objects, that enables the photographing of more natural and aesthetic images without reflection of the camera or lens on the surface of the object, more particularly, even on spectacle frames with highly reflective surfaces, such as metal frames. The present invention also aims to provide an spectacle frame photographing method and a method for creating electronic catalogues of spectacle frames using this method.
The first means of solving the above issues is a method for photographing lustrous objects with a camera. So that a reflected image of the above camera is not formed in the image of the lustrous object being photographed, an optical shield member is placed between said camera body and camera lens thereof, and the above lustrous object. In addition, an opening, having a size and shape suitable for photographing an image of the above lustrous object, is provided in the above lens shield member.
Use of the first means enables less reflection of the camera body and lens on the lustrous object through the provision of a shield member, which includes an opening, between the lustrous object and the lens, and thus enables more natural and fresher photography. Any material can be used for the shield member as long as it reduces the reflection of the camera and lens on the lustrous object. The shield need not be an optical shield member. Instead, a transmissible material that disperses light may be used.
The second means is the lustrous object photographing method of the first means wherein the above opening is of the minimum size and shape required to enable an image of the above lustrous object to be photographed.
Use of the second means enables reflection of the lens on the lustrous object to be minimized. Here, it is preferable that the shape of the opening be set so that the area of the opening is the minimum required for the shape of the object to be photographed.
The third means is the method for photographing lustrous objects of either the first or second means wherein the above shield member has a white surface.
Use of the third means enables favorable reduction of the reflection of the camera body and its lens on the lustrous object. White paper with little gloss is an example of a material with a white surface.
The fourth means is a method for photographing spectacle frames, wherein the method for photographing lustrous objects of any of the first through third means is used to photograph an image of the spectacle frames. Spectacle frames are used as the above lustrous object.
Use of the fourth means enables a reduction in the reflection of the camera body or its lens on the object, even when the spectacle frames are lustrous, thus enabling more natural and fresher photography.
The fifth means is the method for photographing spectacle frames of the fourth means, wherein the light of the flash is irradiated to the spectacle frames via a transmissible, light dispersing member when photography takes place.
The sixth means is the method for photographing spectacle frames of the fourth means, wherein the spectacle frames are photographed with said camera from a photography opening in a lighting box that has an indirect illumination function and into which the spectacle frames are placed.
The seventh means is the spectacle frame photographing method of the sixth means wherein the spectacle frames are covered by a transmissible, light dispersing material in which an opening for photography by the camera is made.
The eighth means is the method for photographing spectacle frames of the sixth means, wherein the camera used is a digital camera.
Use of a digital camera in photography enables digital information about spectacle frame images to be obtained, thus making subsequent editing and handling much simpler.
The ninth means is an electronic spectacle frame catalogue creation method used when creating electronic catalogues of spectacle frames in which information relating to spectacle frames, including all types of spectacle frame image information, is electronically recorded and wherein digital image information is used as the spectacle frame image information by digitizing images photographed using the method for photographing spectacle frames of any of the fourth through eighth means.